Poly(3-alkylthiophenes) are widely studied for potential organic electronic applications due to their wide delocalization of π electron density. The regioregularity of these materials is critical as only head-to-tail connection sequences allow energy stable planar conformation of the backbone providing for the delocalization. Previous syntheses varied between metal-catalyzed crosscoupling of thiophene monomers which provide highly regioregular polymers in good yields, but are expensive and complicated and oxidative coupling which is simple and inexpensive, but provide materials with lower regioregularity. Laura Ricciotti and collaborators developed a synthetic procedure to prepare poly[3-(4-alkoxyphenyl)thiophene]s based on oxidative coupling catalyzed by copper (II) complexes. This method delivered the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of oxidative polymerization with extremely high regioregularity.

Styrene and acrylic acid amphiphilic block copolymers may change their physical parameters in response to pH, ionic strength, or temperature. These polymers are used for applications such as gene therapy, drug delivery, emulsification, and particle stabilization. In order to polymerize in larger scale, researchers are looking to controlled radical polymerization (CRP) techniques. Patrick Lacroix-Desmazes and associates devised an innovative technique coined reverse iodine transfer polymerization (RITP). Investigators report the unprecedented homopolymerization of tert-butyl acrylate and block copolymers of styrene and tert-butyl acrylate by RITP in both solution and emulsion. The results of this study illustrate how molecular iodine can be used to generate transfer agent in situ to control the polymerization.